Device for handling lighted cigarettes or the like



Jan. 10, 1961 L. c. MEYERS 2,967,529

DEVICE FOR HANDLING LIGHTED CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Filed NOV. 10, 1958 INVENTOR 23 uolva a. MEYERS ATTORNEY United States Patent DEVICE FOR HANDLING LIGHTED CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Lionel C. Meyers, 25013. I St., Colton, Calif. Filed Nov. 10,1958, Ser. N0. 772,752 '3 Claims. (Cl. 131-256) Thep'resent invention relates to a smoking appliance and is more specifically directed to a receptacle for receiving cigarettes and the like and the apparatus includes mean'sfor' positively moving a discarded cigarette or'the likethrough snufiing rollers which deliver it into a Waste receptacle.

Devices for extinguishing burning discarded cigarettes or cigars are known which are provided with rollers with their peripheries adjacent each other so that a cigarette or the like when introduced between the rollers is snuffed and delivered-into a receptacle below the rollers. It is an object of the present invention to provide improvemerit in such devices wherein'the snufiing mechanism is provided with rollers havingresilient characteristics with their peripheries in engagement and to provide power means for driving one of the rollers so that the other roller is driving by frictional contact Wtih the driven roller and to provide means in association therewith to initiate the drive of the rollers when a cigarette or the like is moved into proximity of the rollers.

Another object of the invention is to provide control means for power driven rolls of a cigarette snufling mechanism which provides for the actuation of the snuffing rollers until the cigarette or the like has moved a predetermined distance between the snufiing rollers to effectively extinguish any combustion and to provide means for interrupting transmission of power to the snuffing rollers.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated as the present disclosure proceeds including means for adjustment of the relative position of the smiling rollers and means for adjusting the operative position of the control mechanism and other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated and become apparent as this disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

'In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an appliance for smokers exhibiting the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with a portion of an access door removed to illustrate structural features of the device.

F Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which a cigarette is drawn between the snufling rollers while maintaining the switch to the driving motor in a closed position.

Referring to the drawing there is shown at a housing which may if desired to be provided with extensions 11 and 12 enlarging the base of the housing. The housing may be formed of sheet material and is desirably provided with a recessed upper face for receiving ashes from Cigarettes and cigars and the recess may be formed by a Patented Jan. 10, 196 1 concave top wall '16for the housing 10. A waste re'cep tacle '17 may take the form of a tray structure which which closes the lower part of the housing 10. The recepa tacle '17'may take the form of a tray structure which may be de't'acha-bly mounted on' the housing 10 in any suitable manner. One side wall of the housing 10 is preferably provided with a door 18 which is hinged'at 29 so that access may be gained to the interior of the housing. I

The vertical dimensions of the housing 10 are such as to provide space for accommodating a snufiing mechanismincluding snufiing rollers and driving means for the snuifing rollers. An' electric motor 21 carried by a gear casing22 with both of such elements of conventional con struction, is supported' by'means of brackets 23 and 24 which are attached toend'w'alls of the housing. 10. The reduction gear mechanism withinthe gear casing 22 includes'a power 'dr-ive'n'shaft 26 which extends later-ally therefrom. The shaft' 26' is rotated in the direction of the arrow 27 (Fig 2) when the motor 21 is energized.

Another fixed shaft 28 is carried by the sidewall 29 of the gear casing 22 and extend's outwardly therefrom and parallel to the shaft26. An eccentric type sleeve 31 (Fig. 4) is mounted for rotation on the shaft 28. A lever 32 is sec-uredto the sleeve 31 so that the sl'eevemay be rotated about the axis of the shaft 28. A roller 33 formed of rubber or other resilient'materi-al is secured on the shaft 26 "so as to rotate therewith. Another roller 34 formed of rubber or similar resilient material is mounted on the sleeve 31 so as to rotate thereon. A bracket 36 supported on the gear casing 22 by means of a screw 37 and a boss provides supports for the free ends of the shafts 26 and 28. A screw 38 is threaded into the free end of the shaft 28 so as to clamp the arm 32 against the inner face of the bracket 36 and maintain the arm in any adjusted position.

When the motor 21 is energized power is transmitted by the reduction gear mechanism housed within the gear casing 22 so as to drive the shaft 26. The arm 32 is adjusted to eccentrically shift the roller 34 so that its periphery is in frictional engagement with the periphery of the roller 33. The screw 38 is then tightened to hold the sleeve 31 in position to maintain a fixed spaced relationship between the axes of the two rollers 33 and 34. The eccentric attachment as provided by the sleeve 31 and the lever 32 permits the spacing of the axis about which the rollers turn to accommodate cigarettes or cigars between the peripheries of the snuffing rollers. The door 18 provides access to the adjustment lever 32 and the V shown in Figs. 1 and 5. A guide chute 42 is carried by the wall 16 in registration with the opening 41 and the chute 42 depends therefrom to a position in the vicinity of A I the engaging peripheries of the rollers 33 and 34. The opening 41 and the chute 42 are designed for receiving a cigarette or cigar which is intended to be introduced with the lighted end thereof arranged downwardly as it is inserted in the opening 41 and into the chute 42. A switch 43 of the enclosed type is supported adjacent the chute 42 by means of a bracket 44 which may be attached to the top wall 16. A plunger 46 extends from the switch casing. A lever '47 is pivotally mounted on the chute 42 by means of a pivot pin 48. The lever 47 extends into the chute as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The lever 47 is urged to the inactive position shown in Fig. 2 by resilient opening 41 and the lower lighted end is wedged between.

the wall 52 (Fig. 5) of the chute 42 and the lower end of the lever 47. The lever 47 is thereby turned about its pivotal support 48 so that the abutment screw 51 shifts the plunger 46 to a position closing the switch 43. A circuit is thereby established between the power supply provided through the flexible cord 63 to the motor 21. The shaft 26 is driven to draw the cigarette between the peripheries of the rollers 33 and 34. The burning end is flattened and combustion is extinguished. As the cigarette moves downwardly the lever 47 is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 5 until the trailing end of the cigarette or cigar passes below the lower end of the lever 47. The lever 47 is then shifted by the spring 49 to the inactive position when the switch 43 opens to interrupt the supply of current to the motor 21. The lever 47 is then in position so that the lower end will be engaged by any subsequent cigarette or cigar which is introduced into the chute 42. The abutment screw 51 is adjustably mounted on the lever 47.

While the invention has been shown and described in connection with one particular type of housing and receptacle for discarded cigarettes or cigars it will be appreciated that the form of the housing or casing for the apparatus and the structure of the waste receptacle may take various forms. In addition the motor and the driving mechanism for the snuflin-g rollers may be altered. Various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A mechanism for extinguishing lighted cigarettes or the like comprising, a pair of rollers with their peripheries adjacent each other, an electric motor and means associated therewith for driving one roller, a chute having an open end directed towards a space between the peripheries of said rollers, a sensing lever mounted for pivotal movement and having a portion extending angularly across said chute near the open end, a switch actuated by said sensing lever movable to a closed position to establish a circuit to said motor when a cigarette in the chute pivots said sensing lever, and resilient means pivoting the sensing lever to said angular position and opening said switch when a trailing end of the cigarette moves beyond said portion of the lever.

2, A mechanism for extinguishing lighted cigarettes or the like according to claim'l including means for adjust ing the spacing of the axis of one of said rollers with respect to the axis of the other roller.

3. A mechanism for extinguishing lighted cigarettes or the like according to claim 1 including adjustable means for altering the occurrence of closure of the switch in relation to the angular position of said lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,753,210 Melville Apr. 8, 1930 2,335,695 Radabaugh Nov. 30, 1943 2,359,685 Schwartz Oct. 3, 1944 

